What are the consequences of including derogatory remarks in a patent application?

Including derogatory remarks in a patent application can lead to objections or rejections from patent examiners. While the MPEP 608.01(r) doesn’t explicitly state the consequences, it clearly prohibits such remarks:

“The applicant … is not permitted to make derogatory remarks concerning the inventions of others.”

Consequences may include:

• Objections to the specification
• Requests to remove or modify the derogatory language
• Potential delays in the patent examination process
• In severe cases, it could affect the credibility of the application

To avoid these issues, focus on describing your invention’s merits without disparaging others’ work.

To learn more:

• derogatory remarks
• patent application consequences
• MPEP guidelines
• patent examination